AP

There is concern patients are coming off the drug without taking a doctor's advice.

Doctors' offices are busy with calls from concerned patients taking Avandia.

The drug is widely prescribed to keep blood sugar levels in control for people with Type 2 diabetes.

Ann Pickering is a nurse and a diabetes patient. She, like many diabetics, has decided a possible 45 percent increase in heart attack risk reported in the New England Journal of Medicine is enough to quit taking the drug.

"Just quitting - cold turkey," she says.

That has many doctors, including Dr. Richard Honaker of Carrollton, very concerned.

"That's a dangerous thing. Their blood sugars will go through the roof, they'll have some problems with the side-effects of diabetes, that's uncontrolled. They should only do this with a controlled visit with their physician," said Honaker.

He is sending out a letter to his diabetic patients, urging them to talk to their physician, before taking drastic action.

He says there is an alternative called Actos but changing over to this medication may cause interim problems for diabetics.

"A big mess. A phone call mess, a panic mess. I'm afraid our diabetics are going to get out of control, a little bit on their blood sugars," he added.

It's why Pickering is closely monitoring her blood sugar, under a doctor's supervision.